His furrowed check; and hide those scars, 3. THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION. O'ercanopied with glory's sable shrouds ; Edged all around with fire-emblazoned clouds! The man of sorrows and the God are one! A RETROSPECT OF YOUTH. In brightness and beauty arrayed. And my trials are greater and more. The drop would envalue the sweet; And I fancied the stream of my life And of passion's storms, for there were none. And the dream of my youth-time is o'er ; And the trumpets are loud in their roar. In faith, hope, and love, let me live: I, poverty ask not, nor wealth, Lest either should lead me astray: REVIEW. Journal of Voyages and Tra- yet so very interesting in all its parts. The A work containing nearly twelve hun- In one great field of his inquiries, the author has indeed been preceded by Mr. Ellis, through whose Polynesian Researches the natives and productions of the South Sea Islands have been rendered familiar to our views. This field, however, has not been exhausted. A sufficiency of original matter remained to furnish Mr. Bennet with a plentiful harvest. In reaping and glean. ing he has been both industrious and successful, and his readers will rejoice in having an opportunity of feasting on his ample dence, the statements already laid before the public by Mr. Ellis. Frequently, indeed, the same facts appear in new combinations, and under varied aspects; and many important particulars arise, which impart new features to the people, countries, and productions which are described. It is pleasing, however, to observe, amidst this diversity of statement, this variety of delineation, a perfect consistency running through both works. This harmony is highly creditable to the veracity of their respective authors. Each has explored the same source; and having drawn his supplies from the fountain-head of information, the fidelity of each narrative, so far as any parallel appears between them, receives, from this happy concurrence, the genuine stamp of truth. no These volumes of Mr. Bennet contain man's family in England. Their cross, deformed, and diseased children are often killed out of the way, but they are very fond of those whom they rear. From the quick and eager exercise of their eyes, in seeking for their prey, they are exceedingly keen-sighted, and discover birds in the trees, or venomous reptiles in the grass, where Europeans see nothing. Of serpents they are much afraid, and flee from them as from death. They are proportionately skilful in tracking the kangaroo, the emu, or any other animal over the grass, which might seem, to our eyes, as undisturbed as though bending a blade or shaking the dust from the Virgil's Camilla herself had passed over it, without blosom of a flower. They follow the trail of their countrymen, with equal sagacity and confidence, for leagues together, through woods, and over wilds, apparently as printless as the air; and when once they have seen the foot-mark of a European, they never forget it, but can instantly recognize the faintest vestige of the same.-Vol. ii. p. 154. theories of philosophical specula- twenty-five feet across. tion. They imbody an accumulation of facts, derived from actual observation, and so arranged as to present a lively portrait of the customs and peculiarities of those tribes and nations to whom they apply. The incidental occurrences interwoven throughout the narrative, are in general not less interesting than the relations which form its details. Combined together, they impart a degree of utility and entertainment which neither source could exclusively supply. We are therefore led, from the whole, to conclude, that if genuine information respecting the remote portions of the globe, drawn warm from rational, animal, and vegetable life, can render a publication popular, the journal of Mr. Bennet will speedily command an extensive circulation. In support of the preceding observations, we now proceed to lay some extracts before our readers. Habits and Customs of Natives of New South But if "When one dies a natural death, the corpse, shrouded in pieces of bark, is laid on the ground, and four small fires are lighted at the head and feet on either side. A grave is scratched ground and another fire lighted in the hole, which up in the is allowed to burn out; the body of the deceased is then laid upon the ashes, with any little property which belonged to him,-his club, bis spear, his clothes, and the earth is heaped over all. the person fell in war, or his blood was shed by murder or chance medley, his body is not buried, but burnt to dust. Like all savages, the New Hollanders use their women cruelly. They get their wives by violence, seizing them by storm, or springing upon them from ambush-when, if the unfortunate female makes any resistance, her uncourteous suitor knocks her down with his waddy, (a tremendous cudgel,) and carries her off, on his shoulders, in a state of insensibility, with the blood streaming from the love-tokens which he has inflicted on her. Ever afterwards she is his slave; at meals she and her daughters sit behind her husband and her sons, picking the bones, or gorging on the refuse of the garbage with which the lordly sex appease their gluttony, and which are occasionally thrown to them, as dogs are fed in a poor A Court of Justice in the South Seas. "We have just witnessed the novel scene of a court of justice here. Hard by the chapel, there stands a magnificent purau-tree, round about and under the expanded shade of which, long forms for seats were fixed, enclosing a square of about to clear the ground, which happened to be strewn No pains had been taken with loose stones. The judges took their places on the benches. Tahiti. They were handsomely robed in purau Most of these were secondary chiefs, the superior ones being with Pomare at mats and cloth tibutas, with straw hats, and made a most respectable appearance. There were nearly thirty of these; among whom one, called Tapuni, having been previously appointed chairman of the tribunal, was distinguished above the rest by a bunch of black feathers, gracefully surmounted with red, in bis hat. Hundreds of people seated themselves on the outside of the square. Two young men were then introduced, who sat down quietly at the foot of the tree. These were the culprits: they were charged with having stolen some bread-fruit. Silence and earnest attention accused to stand up, which they immediately did. prevailed. Tapuni now rose, and called upon the He then stated the offence for which they were arraigned, and as their guilt was clear, having been detected in the fact, he told them that they had committed rebellion, by breaking the law, outraging the authority of the king, and disgracing the character of their country, One of the young men, hereupon, frankly confessed that he had perpetrated the theft, and persuaded his comrade to share with him the crime and the plunder. Witnesses are seldom called in such cases, offenders generally acknowledging their misdeeds, and casting themselves on the justice of the court to deal with them accordingly. This is a remarkable circumstance, and we are assured that it is so common as to constitute a trait of national character. A brief conversation followed among the judges, respecting the utua, or punishment, to be inflicted on the youths, as they were thus faahapa, or found guilty. The sentence was then delivered by the president; this was, that they should each build four fathoms of a wall, now erecting about a plot of taro ground belonging to the king. In such cases, the condemned are allowed their own reasonable time to execute the task required, and it generally happens that their friends, by permission, lend them assistance. We have seen an aged father helping his son to perform hard labour of this kind, which must, nevertheless, be finished to the satisfaction of an authorized inspector. It is remarkable, in the administration of justice here, that, when the sentence is pronounced, the criminal is gravely asked whether he himself agrees to it, and he generally replies in the affirmative. There is something very primitive and patriarchal in this simple yet solemn form of conducting trials."— Vol. i. p. 179. Among the incidental occurrences and relations recorded in these volumes, the following affecting memorial cannot fail to interest every reader. On board the brig in which Mr. Bennet was on one occasion sailing, he informs us, there were three captains as passengers to America, one of whom, George Pollard, related the singular and lamentable story of a former shipwreck, which is subjoined: "My first shipwreck was in open sea, on the 20th of November, 1820, near the equator, about 118° W. long. The vessel, a South Sea whaler, was called the Essex. On that day, as we were on the look out for sperm whales, and had ac. tually struck two, which the boats' crews were following to secure, I perceived a very large one -it might be eighty er ninety feet long-rushing with great swiftness through the water, right towards the ship. We hoped that she would turn aside, and dive under, when she perceived such a bulk in her way. But no! the animal came full force against our stern-port: had any quarter less firm been struck, the vessel must have been burst; as it was, every plank and timber trembled throughout her whole hulk. "The whale, as though hurt by a severe and unexpected concussion, shook its enormous head, and sheered off to so considerable a distance, that for some time we had lost sight of her from the starboard quarter; of which we were very glad, hoping that the worst was over, Nearly an hour afterwards we saw the same tish-we had no doubt of this from her size, and the direction in which she came-making again towards us. We were at once aware of our danger, but escape was impossible. She dashed her head this time against the ship's side, and so broke it in, that the vessel filled rapidly, and soon became water-logged. At the second shock, expecting her to go down, we lowered our three boats with the utmost expedition, and all hands, twenty in the whole, got into themseven, and seven, and six. In a little while, as she did not sink, we ventured on board again, and, by scuttling the deck, we were enabled to get out some biscuit, beef, water, rum, two sextants, a quadrant, and three compasses. These, together with some rigging, a few muskets, powder, &c. we brought away; and, dividing the stores among our three small crews, rigged the boats as well as we could; there being a compass for each, and a sextant for two, and a quadrant for one, but neither sextant nor quadrant for the third. Then, instead of pushing away for some port, so amazed and bewildered were we, that we continued sitting in our places, gazing upon the ship, as though she bad been an object of the tenderest affection. Our eyes could not leave her, till, at the end of many hours, she gave a slight reel, then down she sank. No words can tell our feelings. We looked at each other-we looked at the place where she bad so lately been afloat-and we did not cease to look, till the terrible conviction of our abandoned and perilous situation roused us to exertion, if deliverance were yet possible. "We now consulted about the course which it might be best to take-westward to India, eastward to South America, or South-westward to the Society Isles. We knew that we were at no great distance from Tahiti, but were so ignorant of the state and temper of the inhabitants, that we feared we should be devoured by cannibals, if we cast ourselves on their mercy. It was determined, therefore, to make for South America, which we computed to be more than two thousand miles distant. Accordingly we steered eastward, and, though for several days harassed with squalls, we contrived to keep together. It was not long before we found that one of the boats had started a plank, which was no wonder, for whale-boats are all elinker built, and very slight, being made of halfinch plank only, before planing. To remedy this alarming defect, we all turned to, and, having emptied the damaged boat into the two others, we raised her side as well as we could, and succeeded jured by the salt-water. This was equally divided in restoring the plank at the bottom. Through One night we were parted in rough weather; but "When we were reduced to the last pinch, and out of every thing, having been more than three weeks aboard, we were cheered with the sight of a low, uninhabited island, which we reached in hope, There were some but were bitterly disappointed. barren bushes, and many rocks on this forlorn spot. The only provisions that we could procure were a few birds and their eggs; this supply was soon reduced: the sea-fowls appeared to have been fightened away, and their nests were left empty, after we What distressed had once or twice plundered them. us most was the utter want of fresh water; we could not find a drop any where, til, at the extreme verge of ebb tide, a small spring was discovered in the sand; but even that was too scanty to afford us suf ficient to quench our thirst before it was covered by the waves at their turn. "There being no prospect but that of starvation here, we determined to put to sea again. Three of our comrades, however, chose to remain, and we pledged ourselves to send a vessel to bring them off, if we ourselves should ever escape to a Christian port. With a very small morsel of biscuit for each, and a little water, we again ventured out on the wide ocean. In the course of a few days our provisions were consumed. Two men died; we had no other alternative than to live upon their remains. These we roasted to dryness by means of fires kindled on the ballast-sand at the bottom of the boats. When this supply was spent, what could we do? We looked at each other with horrid thoughts in our minds, but we held our tongues. I am sure that we loved one another as brothers all the time; and yet our looks told plainly what must be done. We cast lots, and the fatal one fell on my poor cabin-boy. I started forward instantly, and cried out, My lad, my lad, if you don't like your lot, I'll shoot the first man that touches you.' The poor emaciated boy hesitated a moment or two; then, quietly laying his head down upon the gunnel of the boat, he said, 'I like it as well as any other.' He was soon despatched, and nothing of him left. I think, then, another man died, and him, too, we ate. But I can tell you no more-my head is on fire at the recollection-I hardly know what I say. I forgot to say. that we had parted company with the second boat before now. After some more days of horror and despair, when some were lying down at the bottom of the boat not able to rise, and scarcely one of us could move a limb, a vessel hove in sight. We were taken on board, and treated with extreme kindness. The second lost boat was also picked up at sea, and the survivors saved. A ship afterwards sailed in search of our companions on the desolate island, and brought them away." "Captain Pollard closed his dreary narrative with saying, in a tone of despondency never to be forgotten by him who heard it- After a time I found my way to the United States, to which I belonged, and got another ship. That, too, I have lost by a second wreck off the Sandwich Islands, and I am atterly ruined. No owner will ever trust me with a whaler again, for all will say I am an unlucky man.'" Vol. ii. 24-29. Modes of Living among the Chinese. "The modes of living, among the Chinese, are very different, according to the rank and wealth of the people; but the extremes of luxury and misery are no where more ludicrously contrasted. Those who can afford to purchase rare and expensive delicacies grudge no cost for them, as is proved by the price. paid for edible birds' nests (glutinous compositions, formed by a kind of swallow, in vast clusters, found in caves in the Nicobar and other islands,) five thousand dollars being sometimes given for a picul, weighing one hundred and thirty-three pounds threequarters. In the streets, multitudes of men are employed in preparing these for sale, with a pair of tweezers plucking from them every hair, or fibre of feather, or extraneous matter; and, at the same time, carefully preserving the form of the nests, by pushing through them very slender slips of bamboo. Sharks' fins are highly prized, and, when well-dried, they fetch a great price. The beche-de-la-mer (a horrid looking black sea-slug, formerly described,) brought from the Pacific Islands, is also exceedingly water. esteemed by Chinese epicures. But, while the rich fare thus sumptuously, the mass of the poor subsist on the veriest garbage. The heads of fowls, their entrails, their feet, with every scrap of digestible animal matter-earth-worms, sea reptiles, of all kinds, rats, and other vermin, are greedily devoured. We have noticed lots of black frogs, in half dozens, tied together, exposed for sale in shallow troughs of We have seen the hind quarter of a horse hung up in a butcher's shop, with the recommendation of the whole leg attached. A lodger in our hotel complains that, his bed room being over the kitchen, he is grievously annoyed in a morning by the noises of dogs and cats, which are slaughtering below for the day's consumption-but not at our table. Not a bone nor a green leaf is ever seen in the streets : some use or another is found for every thing that would be refuse elsewhere."Vol. ii. p. 256. REVIEW.- The History and Topography of the United States of America, with a Series of Views, Parts 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. By John Howard Hinton, A. M. Hinton. London. 1831. In a preceding number of the Imperial Magazine, we reviewed the earlier Parts of this splendid work, and were so highly pleased with its varied excellences, that more room was appropriated to our remarks than on such occasions we can generally allow. This, however, must now become an apology for the comparative brevity of our present observations. So far as the work has proceeded, every part is calculated to gratify the expectations which the earlier portions excited. The plates, which are numerous, are of a supe rior order. The designs are taken both from the labours of art, and the productions of nature. Each subject is of an interesting character, and the manner in which the whole is executed, is highly creditable to the artists who have been employed. Both the paper and the letter-press may boldly solicit, rather than skrink from, a close examination. The pages have an elegant aspect, and appear to be free from typographical error. Mere embellishment is, however, of little importance, when compared with the facts which they illustrate, and the historical events which the compiler details. The parts now under examination relate chiefly to the early history of the States, the period and manner of their settlement, the difficulties which the primitive adventurers were compelled to encounter, and the foundations on which the original right to possession rests. In this last respect, the history and fate of many Indian tribes, or nations, are involved. To these the author frequently refers; and from every circumstance connected with this deeply injured, but rapidly diminishing people, this work derives an additional interest. The early settlement of colonies is always pregnant with original occurrences, which, though insignificant in themselves, are big with consequences of the utmost importance to future years. In these we perceive the germs to which momentous effects and results may be distinctly traced; and hence may be inferred the necessity, that every historian should have an intimate acquaintance with the springs and sources of those movements which give colouring and aspect to the character of nations, when they rise into maturity. To these primary principles the author of this work has paid commendable attention, foundation, on which to erect his superand by so doing he has laid a permanent structure, and on which his readers may hopes will not be disappointed. It is a found a rational expectation that their work of great promise, and we have no reason to fear any deterioration as it ad. vances towards completion. Nations in general are so tardy in their growth, that the links which unite their infancy and maturity together, lie not within the range of an individual life. With the United States of America, the case, however, assumes a very different aspect. We have seen them within our own day shaking off the trammels of subjection, and assuming the character of independence: we have seen that independence cherished by the fostering hand of patriotism, and we now behold these states elevating their heads among the most powerful and most ancient empires of the world. These sources the author has carefully explored, and these connecting links we can have no doubt that he will distinctly trace; and by the achievement he will raise a monument to his own fame, in some respects corresponding with the glory of that independence, which his history is intended to delineate. REVIEW.-Family Classical Library, Vol. XVI. The Characters of Theophrastus, illustrated by Physiognomical Sketches. 12mo. pp. 175. Valpy. London, 1831. In this volume, amusement and instruction are so happily blended together, that each derives an advantage from the other. The variety exhibited, and the exquisite touches which appear in the author's delineations of character, short, pointed, and always true to nature, confer upon it a superiority of excellence, which few works can boast. The forcible descriptions of the author, the artist has accompanied with physiognomical sketches, in which the soul of the individual character is visibly portrayed in the lineaments of the countenance. In number, these REVIEW.-THEOPHRASTUS. sketches amount to fifty, and in some respects, as they may be considered bordering on caricature, perhaps many will be inclined to question the fidelity of the features; but since the delineations are intended to expose what is either blameable, pernicious, or detestable, in human nature, the designer may be fairly tolerated in "snatching a grace beyond the reach of art." Theophrastus was born at Eresus, in Lesbos, nearly three hundred years before the Christian era, and died at the advanced in age of 107. Connecting the period which he flourished with his writings, and comparing his descriptions with these likenesses, displayed in actual life by similar characters in the present day, we cannot but notice that the lapse of twenty centuries has produced no change in human nature. The dissembler of this author, is precisely the dissembler of the present day. And if Theophrastus had lived in A. D. 1831, he could not have been able to furnish out his descriptions from modern subjects with greater accuracy. To illustrate these preliminary observations, we beg to introduce the following extracts; leaving every reader whom they may concern, at liberty to make his own application of the characters described. The Garrulous. "Garrulity is an effusion of prolix and unpremeditated discourse. The garrulous man happening to sit beside one with whom he has no acquaintance, begins by recounting the various excellences of his wife; then he says, that last night he dreamed a dream, which he narrates at length; this leads him to mention, one by one, the dishes that were placed within his reach at supper. By this time his tongue has gained velocity in going, and he proceeds in a loftier strain: Alas!' saith he, how much more depraved are the men of our times than were their ancestors! and what a price has corn fallen to now in the markets! and how the city swarms with strangers! By the time the bacchanalia are over, the sea will be covered again with ships should it please Heaven, just now, to send rain, it would be a vast blessing to the wheats.' : -." Anon he announces his determination to farm "If you will bear with a fellow of this sort, he will never let you go; for rather than talk should fail, he will inform you of all the festivals that happen throughout the year, gravely telling you, that in September is celebrated the feast in honour of Ceres; in October, the Apaturia; the rural Bacchanalia, in December; and so forth. But if you would not be hurried into a fever, you must shake him off, and make your escape as fast as possible. In truth, it is hard to consort with those who have no perception of what is proper, either to moments of relaxation, or to hours of business." -p. 14. The Rustic. corous. sive drug, forthwith goes into company. Smelling some exquisite perfume, he exclaims, "Tis not a whit sweeter than a sprig of thyme.' The shoes he wears are too large for his feet. He talks in a bawling tone; and his posture as he sits is indecent. Distrusting his friends and nearest relatives, he converses on the most important concerns with his servants; or, returning from the city, he reports all that has passed in council to the labourers on his farm. In travelling, he admires nothing that is beautiful, he is affected by nothing that is sublime; but if he encounters an ox, or an ass, or a goat, he makes a halt, and stares at it. He will filch a morsel from the pantry; devour it voraciously: then swallow a dram; and withal seek to conceal the theft from his own cookmaid at another time he will grind with her at the mill, and himself measure out the day's provisions for the family. During dinner he throws morsels to the domestic animals that are suffered to range through the house; or he runs to the door when any one knocks. Instead of noticing his visitor, he calls the house-dog from his kennel, and, holding him by the muzzle, exclaims, 'Here is he that takes care of house, and farm, and family. When he receives money, he affirms it to be bad, and demands that it may be changed. If he has lent a plough, or a basket, or a sickle, or a sack, to a neighbour, he wakes perhaps in the middle of the night, and, remembering the loan, will go and ask for it. On his way to the city, he accosts any one he may meet, with abrupt questions ;'How are hides selling now? and what is bacon in the market? Tell me, do the games to day bring us a new moon?' and then he adds, as soon as I get to town I mean to be shaved.' This man sings aloud while he is in the bath: he drives nails into his shoes; and you may meet him with a ham on his shoulders, which he has bought as he chanced to pass through the market."- p. 16. The Parsimonious. "Parsimony is an excessive and unreasonable sparing of expense. The parsimonious man calls at the house of his debtor to demand a half-penny of interest, left over in last month's payment. At a banquet, be carefully notes how many cups of wine are drank by each guest; and of all the offerings to Diana, usual on such occasions, his will be the least. If the smallest article be purchased for his use, however low may be the price, he will say it is too dear. When a servant breaks a pot or a pan, he deducts the value of it from his daily allowance; or if his wife chances to lose a brass button or a farthing, he causes tables, chairs, beds, boxes, to be moved, and the wardrobe to be hunted over in search of it. Whoever would deal with him must be content to lose by the transaction. He suffers no one to taste a fig from his garden; nor even to pass through his fields; no, nor to gather a fallen date or olive from the ground. He inspects the boundaries of his farm, to assure himself that the hedges and fences remain in their places. He demands interest on interest, if payment is delayed a day beyond the appointed time- If he gives a public dinner to his ward, he carves out a scanty portion for each, and places his allowance before every guest. He goes to market, and often returns without having purchased a single article. strictly charges his wife to lend nothing to her neighbours; no, not even a little salt, nor a wick for a lamp, nor a bit of cummin, nor a sprig of marjoram, nor a barley cake nor a fillet for the victim, nor a wafer for the altar: for,' saith he, these little matters put together make a great sum in the year.' He "In a word, you may see the coffers of this fellow covered with mould; and himself, with a bunch of keys at his girdle, clad in a scanty garb, sparingly anointed, shorn to the scalp, and slipshod at noon and you may find him in the fuller's shop, whom he is charging not to spare earth in cleaning his cloak, that it may not so soon require dresssing again."-p. 31. The Detractor. "The Detractor utters not a word that does not betray the malignancy of his soul. If he is asked |